Combined container and straw



, April 3, 1951 R. w. BERRY 2,547,362

COMBINED CONTAINER AND STRAW Filed July 3, 1948 fvger i zy Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED. STATES- PATIENT. OFFICE Roger W. Berry, Princeton, Ill. Application July 3, 1948, Serial No. 36,863

cclaims'. (craze-7) This invention relates to beverage containers with self-contained drinking straws of the type shown in my copending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Ser. No. 724,643 for combined container and straw and constitutes a continuation in part thereof.

In the manufacture and use of containers with self-contained straws therein of this type, it is important to have the straw wholly within the container when the latter is unopened so that protruding straws will not interfere with stacking or become contaminated. Also to prevent contamination it is import-ant to provide an arrangement of parts and means whereby the straw may be extended outside of the container 2. suificient distance'for convenient use without being touched by hand and rigidly maintained in such position.

The primary object of this invention is accordingly to provide a combined container and straw having the foregoing important features.

Another object is to provide such a combined container and straw which may be economically and simply manufactured and conveniently used.

Other and further objects of this invention will become more apparent as the same becomes better understood from an examination of the speci-. fication and claims in conjunction with the ac-. companying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a combined container and straw embodying this invention with the container in closed position and the straw contracted therewithin.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the container open and the straw extending therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken at the line 33 of Fi 1. v

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken at the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary plan section taken at the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken at the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 is a combined plan and end view of the sheet of paper or other material cut to form the outline of a bracket by means of which the upper portions of the straws are attached to the removable portions of the container covers.

Referring to the drawings more particularly reference character I designates a waxed paper container having a lid 2 and. bottom 3.

A pair of spaced straws 4 and 5 are bent and enclosed within the container I with the beverage therein so that when the container is opened the straws will assume a straightened oblique position extending a convenient distance above the lid and at the same time will extend to the bottom of the container.

The straws 4 and 5 have upper straight portions which are fastened to a removable strip t within the area of the lid 2 and forming an integral part thereof. The strip 6 is perforated at its side edges, has an upwardly extending flap by which it may be manually grasped and hingedly removed about an axis near a pair of clips I8 and I9, the latter limiting the tearing out of said strip. The upper portions of the straws 4 and 5 are bent horizontally when the container is closed and form a crease I at the juncture of these upper portions and lower straight diagonal and oblique portions of the straws which lower portions are held adjacent to'the lower forward side of the container by a stirrup or bracket 8 fastened to said side preferably with wax or other suit-able means impervious to moisture.

The upper bent (when the container is closed) portions of the straws 4 and 5 are attached to the lid 2 by means of a bracket 9. This bracket 9 is formed of paper or the like Waxed or otherwise rendered impervious to moisture so that it will retain sufiicient elasticity along with its inherent flexibility forthe-purposes intended and is cut from a blank of the form shown in Fig. '7 and subsequently bent at the dotted lines shown in said figure, the areas designated I0 and I I constituting side legs, the areas I2 and I3 forming upper stops and the areas I4 and I 5 forming lower stops. The area I6 forms the top of the bracket 9 which is attached to the underside 'of strip 5 by suitable means which is here shown as a non-corrosive metallic clip H. The upper bent portions of the straws are glued to the top I6 to rigidly hold them in horizontal bent position when the container is closed. The legs I0 and II depend oppositely and outwardly from the top It and are bent from said top just enough to provide them with suincient elasticity to yieldably press outwardly against the sides of the lid at either edge of the opening therein formed by tearing the strip 6 therefrom. The integral triangular extension portions I4 and I5 on the legs It and I I are bent out of the plane thereof enough to form stops which engage the underside of the lid 2 at the in aligmnent. The integral triangular extension portions'I2 and I3 on the legs II] and II are relatively small and are likewise bent out of the plane of said legs but being small compafd to said stops l4 and they are adapted to pass by virtue of their relative size, position and shape to the upper side of the lid l and to latch against the edges of said lid at the upper side thereof adjacent to the opening therein upon the removal of strip 6 so as to lock the bracket in open position and against closing at the point where the upper portions of the straws are in alignment with the lower portions thereof.

A strip on the underside of the lid 2 closes the opening which would otherwise be present by the partial removal of the strip fi caused by the end thereof extending upwardly in position to be manually grasped. The perforated sides of the strip 6 within the lid 2 are reinforced by wax or the like.

The advantages in manufacture and useof the aforedescribed construction will be apparent without further detailed description. I am aware that many changes may be made without departing from the principles or my injvention and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown or described.

I claim: I i r i v 1. A container of the character described pro' vided with a hinged cover portion adapted to be manually moved from closed to open position and a self-contained straw within the container having upper and lower relatively bent sections and capable when straightened of extending a substantial distance above the container from the bottom thereof and a bracket connecting said hinged cover portion and the upper straw sectioh and capable of rigidly holding said upper section in rigid bent position when the cover portion is in closed position and in rigid alignment with the lower straw section when the cover portion is in open position, said bracket beingpro vided with stops for limiting the movement of same upon the hinged openingmovement of said cover portion to the point where said upper and lower straw sections are inalignment. J

2. A container of the character described provided with a removable cover portion adaptedto be manually moved from closed to open position and a self-contained straw within thecontainer having upper and lower relatively bent sections and capable when straightened of extending; a substantial distance above the container from the bottom thereof and a bracketconnectingsaid removable cover portion andthe upper straw section and capable of rigidly holding said upper straw section in rigid bent position when the cover portion is in closedposition and in rigid alignment with the lower straw section-when the cover portion is in open position, said bracket being provided with stops for limiting the move ment of same upon the opening of said cover portion to the point where said upper and lower straw sections are in alignment.

3. A container of the character described pro-- vided with a'hinged cover portion adapted to" be manually moved from closed to open position and a self -contained straw within the container having upper and lower relatively bent sections and capable when straightened of extending a substantial distance above the'container from the bottom thereof and a bracket connecting said hinged cover portion and the upper straw section and capable of rigidly holding said: upper straw section in rigid bentposition'when the'coverpor tion is in closed position-and in rigid alignment with the lower straw sectionwhenthe cover portion is in open position, said bracket being provided with stops for limiting the movement of same upon the hinged opening movement of said cover portion to the point where said upper and lower straw sections are in alignment, and latch means for preventing the return of said bracket and cover portion to closed position and for holding said straw sections in alignment.

4. A container of the character described provided with a removable cover portion adapted to be manually moved from closed to open position and a self-contained straw within the container having upper and lower relatively bent sections and capablerwhen straightened of extending a substantial distance above the container from the bottom thereof and a bracket connecting said removable cover portion and the upper straw secmen and capable of rigidly holding said upper straw section in rigid bent position when the cover portion is in closed position and in rigid li nm nt with e' t. t aw sec on when t we w t ess thei v s aid Br cke being provided withjs'tdps for limiting the jin'ove ment of same upon the opening of said ca eman in, w th P 1 ivn ehsa p' r nd 1 i a straw sections are in alignment, and latch means for preventing the return of said bracket and cover portion to closed position and for holding said straw sections in alignment, L V

5- A, on a r @ff Qhe mt rd' ibsi 56: fle fi i f 'em vv blppv r. li n a ed to be manually moved from closed to open position n ia. on a d s raw it in. the. c n a ner having upper and lower relatively bent sections and capable when straightened of extending a substantial distance above the container from the "bottom thereof and a' bracket connecting said removable cover portion and the upperstraw section and capable of rigidly holding said upper straw section in rigid bent position when the cover portion is in closed position and in rigid alignment with the lower straw section when the cover portion is in open position; said bracket being provided with a airpr flexible legs adapted to slide against tire opposite edges or the am. tamer at the sides or the openin a'used by the removal of said; cover portion when the" latter isbeing removed and stops at the lower end of said legs adapted'to engagesaia'eqmam atjthe lower side or s'aid'edges to limit said removal" to the point where" the straw sections are is augment; H

ie fiom eroi th har e" vidd'with a removable covifm ion" ada an a self-contained straw within the' con ner havin a w r. rela e n .s t and capable when straig d 'qi ext'endingia u an ia stan e ebbi Y. i w i l' o the" bottom" thrtr nd} a bracket connect n said removable cover portion and upper section and eapatiet'f rigidly holding said upper st a e t n i id, b P siti n n .t qv r q i ni i cl se wpq i o n nd in r id. i nme w t t 0wert awm w en the v r qa is n q i ionn a d b a k t being provided with a pair of flexible legs adapted to slide against the oppositeedges of the container at the sides of the opening-paused by the removal of said cover portion when the latter is-beingremoved and stops at thQ 'IOWBY'EIidOf a ,l sada o, eng id: o inerat the lower side of said edges to limit said removal to the point where; the straw sections are in alignment and latch means on said legs in proximity to said stops for engaging said container UNITED STATES PATENTS at the upper side of said edges for holding said Number Name Date bracket at such point of alignment of the straw 2 052 307 Kennedy Aug. 25' 1936 sectwns- 2,392,479 Humbert Jan. a, 1946 6 2,395,734 Georgopoulos Feb. 26, 1946 ROGER BERRY 2,450,244 Lynch Sept. 28, 1948 REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS The following references are of record in the Number Country t file this 10 377,106 Great Britain July 21, 1932 

